Photo: Canadian Coast Guard’s Louis St-Laurent stuck near Cambridge Bay

The Canadian Coast Guard’s Louis St-Laurent, the largest icebreaker and ship now in its fleet, has been moored outside Cambridge Bay since Sept. 27, after it lost use of a propeller. Divers are now repairing the propeller on the 111.5-metre-long ship, which usually carries a crew of 48 and up to 53 researchers. Built in 1967, its five huge diesel engines provide power for three shafts and propellers and produce 29,000 horsepower of power for breaking through thick ice. The Louis St-Laurent suffered damage to its propellers in 2000, requiring them to be replaced. It’s due for decommissioning in 2017, when the new 140-metre icebreaker, the John Diefenbaker, is expected to be ready. (PHOTO BY JANE GEORGE)